Auscultation techniques are useful for medical examination, testing, and diagnosis. Typically, auscultation involves a qualified medical practitioner listening to the internal sounds of a subject's body, usually using a stethoscope. Auscultation is normally performed to examine biological systems, such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, and/or gastrointestinal systems.
Auscultation is a skill that requires substantial clinical experience, and an environment that permits clear hearing. Heart sounds, for example, can sound rather faint through an acoustic stethoscope. Tubes used to transmit acoustic sounds through traditional stethoscopes can create extraneous noise when the tubes rub against hands, body, or clothing, etc. Additionally, traditional stethoscopes poorly accommodate those with moderate to severe hearing loss, or those who work in noisy environments (e.g., emergency rooms, helicopters, etc.).
Another problem with many existing auscultation devices is that they are constructed of a metallic material. Metallic surfaces can be cold to the touch when placed against the skin of a subject. They also can show poor resistance to moisture, thus being susceptible to water damage.